I Have to Live Somewhere and I Love Living on 15th Avenue

In recent years, formerly affordable homes in North/Northeast Portland neighborhood have become a prime target for developers. But Northeast resident, Charles Adams doesn’t want to leave. “I ain’t interested in selling my house,” says Adams. “I have to live somewhere and I love living on 15th Avenue” where he’s lived for 34 years.

Among many things, his garage needed repairs and needed a wheelchair ramp to make it easier to enter his home. Adams said his insurance company has threatened to cancel his homeowners coverage unless costly repairs are made—even though, he said, he can’t afford them.

With the help of REACH in partnership with the Portland Housing Bureau, Mr. Adams received a wheelchair ramp, siding and a new walk-in shower. All those fixers are repairs that help Adams stay safely in his home and maintain his insurance.

“When I’m gone,” Adams said, “I hope one of my sons will appreciate this house enough to improve it and stay in it.”

^{REACH’s Community Builders Program (CBP) is dedicated to helping low income senior homeowners and homeowners with disabilities age safely in their homes by providing free home repairs and accessibility modifications. We also help resolve code and nuisance citations for homeowners.}